Cain Rises at TeaCon 2011: Straw Poll Win, Communications Director Loss, Disagreements With Jack Roeser

-By Warner Todd Huston

Herman Cain wins yet another straw poll of conservative activists. This time at Teacon 2011 held in a northwestern suburb of Chicago. There was no surprise that Cain won the straw poll, but there was some surprise fireworks in the media room and another surprise elsewhere in the Cain campaign as his long-serving Communications Director resigned over the weekend.

Herman Cain was the only candidate that decided to come in person, but to be honest, this crowd was a Cain hotspot even before that. Rep. Michele Bachmann sent in a video address that found favor with the crowd, too. But Cain and she were the only ones to give TeaCon 2011 the time of day.

The results, with over 77% of the vote, put Herman Cain in the lead. And in descending order was Bachmann, Newt Gingrich, Rick Perry, Mitt Romney, Ron Paul, Rick Santorum — oddly enough President Obama came in next — and Jon Huntsman and Gary Johnson came in last.

As Erik Telford said on Twitter, “If you can’t beat Obama in a tea party straw poll, it’s probably time to end your campaign. (cc: Huntsman and Johnson).”

Ouch, indeed.
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Cain Rises at TeaCon 2011: Straw Poll Win, Communications Director Loss, Disagreements With Jack Roeser”


TeaCon 2011, The Blogger’s Who’s Who

-By Warner Todd Huston

And now for a little name dropping. Some of the more well-known conservatives bloggers are here this weekend chief among them Ed Morrissey famed HotAir.com blogger. Then there is Jim Hoft from GatewayPundit.com; Jeremy Segal of RebelPundit.com; Andrew Marcus of FoundingBloggers.com; Dana Loesch BigGovernment.com; Adam Sharp of SharpElbows.com; John Ruberry of MarathonPundit.com. And I won’t mention me… because… well… you’re reading my post! Oh, and I almost forgot, the famed Iowahawk was there, too.

Hoft, Segal, Sharp, and Marcus were also on a new media panel. The key phrase of how we conservatives can get coverage of our issues was “show up.” Go. Be at. Do. Don’t sit at home. Get out and about and attend these political meetings, appearances of your congressmen, public events, even protests. Just get out there and cover it.


The New Media panel led by Eric Kohn

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TeaCon 2011, The Blogger’s Who’s Who”


TeaCon 2011, The Good and the Bad

-By Warner Todd Huston

I’ll be here all day at TeaCon 2011 sponsored by Chicago’s WIND radio, ChampionNews.net, and the Chicago Tea Party. The good is that several notable personalities are here this weekend among them Andrew Breitbart and Glenn Beck. The bad? Well, there is a bit of a scandal involving one of the Tea Party leaders here that broke just as the Friday events were winding up.

Friday’s opening ceremonies were enjoyable, of course. WIND’s Big John Howell and Amy Jacobson emceed the evening entertainment. We were regaled by the comedy stylings of Steven Crowder and all were wound up by the straight talk and stream of conscientiousness of Andrew Breitbart. We heard some wonderful, patriotic music and all shared a beer or cocktail.
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TeaCon 2011, The Good and the Bad”